[ Academia ] [ Litigation ] [ Regulatory & Policy ] [ Transactional ] as a Related Elective for those interested in Communication Skills : Whether you expect to become an advocate, an adviser, a teacher or a legal consultant, you will benefit from honing your social skills. This experiential course develops skills that are essential for becoming successful in a career that requires mutual problem-solving. Social skills are also a prerequisite for the interpersonal engagement required to establish trust and credibility with your client or those to whom you are advocating in a court or administrative agency.

General course
Description:

Building a successful legal career or practice involves both technical expertise as well as relational skills. Becoming a trusted advisor or effective advocate is essentially an interpersonal process that relies upon social and emotional skills, such as listening in ways that gain client trust and engagement or delivering tough messages in ways that reduce defensiveness and increase mutual problem solving. These skills can be learned. Unlike conceptual knowledge, they are acquired through practicing new behaviors that expand skills or undo old habits. Adult learning is strengthened through experiencing the concept in action, reflecting upon the experience and practicing it. I will construct such exercises for use in class as well as in workgroups outside of class. This course will introduce students to simple frameworks that raise awareness and understanding of social intelligence and expose them to a process of learning they can employ in their everyday interactions for continued growth and development. Special Instructions: This course develops student skills and not simply conceptual knowledge. Learning will come from consistent class attendance and a willingness to participate actively - not only in occasional role plays but primarily as one's self, practicing new behaviors that build skill sets. Written assignments will be brief weekly reflections on personal learning. Elements used in grading: Class participation, attendance, written assignments.

Course Style: An Experiential course is one in which students undertake tasks derived from or akin to those done by practicing lawyers.